


the stars align when i'm with you

by ilithiyarys



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, I'd Follow You, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Partners to Lovers, Upstead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:20:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27873685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilithiyarys/pseuds/ilithiyarys
Summary: "i guess you don't love me the way that i do."(just another take on the promo for 8x03)
Relationships: Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton, Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 1
Kudos: 78





	the stars align when i'm with you

"So what _did_ the feds offer you?" He asked.

"Joint-level task force," she coolly mentioned, near smiling. His heart sank. _Not again._

And for the first time in their partnership, it felt like everything had come out of alignment. He couldn't read her. He couldn't tell where she was landing with this. Why did it seem like she was excited about it? Was she eager to take the offer? Was their partnership and friendship not good enough for her to stay?

His face betrayed him, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. But she was waiting for him to say something - _anything_.

She was so tired of being the one to speak up first. It was his move. She eyed her partner, waiting.

"Um... I think you should take it. Whatever makes you happy, Hailey," he said, with a hint of sadness. He slowly got up, getting his jacket.

It felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She'd never felt more betrayed than anyone than she did by Jay, her own partner, in that very moment.

But she knew he wasn't one to throw four years of partnership out the window; he wouldn't throw out four years worth of what they've developed and established together.

No.

"You know you can just tell me you _don’t_ want me to go,” she frustratedly blurted. The question hung in the air - _do you love me or are you willing to lose me?_

They'd danced around how they felt about one another for way too long now. As much as she didn't actually want to take up the offer with the feds, she sure as hell was going to be sure about her decision if her partner confirmed - verbally or nonverbally - that he didn't feel the same way about her too.

"Hailey, I - I can't answer that for you,"

"God! Jay, you're not getting it. Do you want me to stay?" she asked, tears stinging her eyes.

_Tell me you don’t feel it too._

"I just want what's best for you, Hailey. If that's taking up an exciting offer from the feds, then I think you should take it. I don't want to be that guy to hold you back from an incredible opportunity to move forward in your career,"

He didn't answer what she was really asking.

She sighed frustratedly, tears threatening to fall. "Okay."

The brunette furrowed his brow in confusion. "Okay? What does that mean?"

"I was just hoping I was wrong about you. That you would think I was a good enough partner to fight for but I guess I was wrong."

The blonde grabbed her jacket and left a fifty on the table.

_I guess you don’t love me the way that I do._

"Bye, Jay." She gave her partner a sad look before leaving the bar.

He watched her leave, palming his face in his hands. Jay’s heart was pounding out of his chest. He’d royally screwed up again.

_No. Not this time._

The brunette stood up, grabbing his jacket and putting it on haphazardly, chasing after her to the parking lot. He managed to catch her right before she got into her car.

"Hailey, wait!" He shouted from the end of the parking lot.

He'd managed to catch her attention. She had one foot in her car, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Hailey, please. Just… Hear me out, okay?"

She sighed. “What, Jay?”

“Just hear me out. Hailey, I don’t want you to go - I don’t. You’re the best partner I’ve ever had, of course I don’t want to lose you! I can’t stand the thought of some random person watching your back. Bringing you coffee every morning. Making eye contact with you and just knowing what’s on your mind. I can’t stand the idea of someone else taking my place when you need to do the thing - _our_ thing.”

She gave him a challenging _, and, what?_ look, waiting for him to continue. He let out a shaky breath, finally piecing everything he'd ever wanted to say to her.

“Hailey, I want you. God, I want you so damn bad. Every morning when I wake up, you’re the first thing on my mind. I think about your coffee order every day and anticipate the bright smile you have on your face when I bring it to you. You are the only thing I look forward to every single day, and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep. I have nightmares of you getting hurt, getting injured, and that’s why I’m so damn protective of you. I would take a bullet for you every single time because Hailey, you are everything to me,"

Jay walked closer and closer to her.

"I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to screw things up because I always do. I fell for you Hailey, I fell hard. I guess I was just scared of what it would mean, what it could become, so I kept it to myself. You mean too much to me for me to screw things up. And part of me was scared to open up my heart again. I lost one partner to New York, Hailey, I can’t lose another one. But if you’re gonna go Hailey, I’m not gonna stop you. I can't do that to your career. But if you're wanting me to say what I think you've been wanting me to say, then I'll say it,"

He inched even closer, placing his hand on the door of her car, keeping the other in his pocket.

"I can't lose you Hailey. I won't. Hell, if you want to go to New York then I’m going with you too. We always said that to each other, didn't we? That we'd follow each other anywhere? I'll follow you. I’ll transfer out, hell, I’ll work at Baskin Robbins if I have to. I just… I can’t lose you Hailey. Not again. I…” he paused, realizing how real the next three words he was about to say were.

“… I love you Hailey Upton. I just want to be with you. I wanna call you mine. And if you don't mind, I'd like to kiss you now," he brought his right hand up to her chin, pulling her in close to him.

The moment their lips met was electrifying; satisfying a thirst they both didn't know they had until that very moment. It was like the stars had aligned, leaving them hungry for more.

She gently moved her head back. "You don't know how long I've waited for you to say and do that," she whispered.

"Oh yeah?" He quirked a brow.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," He smiled.

"Oh, and Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too," Hailey smiled.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God. Now I don't feel so awkward,"

She giggled. "You're silly,"

"And we’d be silly to stay out in the cold. Why don't we continue this someplace warmer?"

"I thought you'd never ask."


End file.
